Gama Aviation has appointed Ceri Schunmann as its new Chief of Staff, a newly created executive role that will report directly to Group CEO Marwan Khalek. The appointment reflects the company’s continued focus on strengthening operational coordination, improving organisational efficiency and supporting its long-term growth strategy across its global aviation businesses.
Schunmann, who most recently served as Director of Rotary at Gama Aviation, has played a pivotal role in the establishment and growth of Bond Helicopters, contributing significantly to the return of the iconic brand to the UK offshore aviation sector. His career spans service in the Royal Navy as well as extensive leadership experience in commercial rotary aviation, providing him with deep expertise in managing complex, safety-critical operations and leading high-performing teams.
In his new position, Schunmann will work closely with the Managing Directors of Gama Aviation’s five business divisions, as well as the Group Services teams, to strengthen collaboration across the organisation. His responsibilities will include driving operational excellence, improving cross-functional coordination and accelerating strategic initiatives aimed at enhancing customer service and business performance.
Commenting on the appointment, Marwan Khalek, Group Chief Executive Officer, Gama Aviation, said Schunmann’s proven operational leadership and ability to deliver results in demanding environments made him the ideal choice for the newly established role.
“Ceri brings strong operational leadership, sound judgement and a proven ability to deliver in demanding environments. His work with Bond Helicopters has clearly demonstrated these qualities. In this new role, he will help harness the Group’s collective capabilities to drive continuous improvement and deliver positive outcomes for our clients,” Khalek said.
Schunmann said he was looking forward to working more closely with teams across the organisation to build on Gama Aviation’s operational strengths and identify new opportunities to improve performance and customer delivery.
“Having led Gama Aviation’s rotary operations and helped establish Bond Helicopters, I have seen first-hand the depth of capability and commitment across the Group. I look forward to bringing our expertise together and identifying further opportunities to strengthen how we operate and what we deliver for clients. Safety, compliance and good governance will remain central to every decision we make,” he said.
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The appointment comes as aviation service providers continue to place greater emphasis on integrated leadership structures, operational efficiency and governance to navigate an increasingly complex operating environment. By creating the Chief of Staff position, Gama Aviation is reinforcing its commitment to aligning strategic priorities across its businesses while maintaining a strong focus on safety, compliance and customer outcomes.
With experience spanning military aviation, commercial helicopter operations and executive leadership, Schunmann is expected to play a key role in supporting Gama Aviation’s continued growth and operational transformation as the company expands its service capabilities across business aviation, special mission operations, aircraft services and maintenance activities.
